


friction is resistance

by weatheredlaw



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Mild Language, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 13:39:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13525428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weatheredlaw/pseuds/weatheredlaw
Summary: But she wasn’t born a girl pining for something that she couldn’t have. She was the girl who’d bought a cabin, turned it into a home and a shelter, and made something of herself.Ned fuckin’ Chicane be damned.





	friction is resistance

**Author's Note:**

> hey i'm a MESS about taz amnesty and i think it'd be sweet if ned and mama had a history so here u go

She was nineteen, and the Amnesty Lodge was just a cabin in the woods she’d bought for ten thousand dollars and three bottles of Lagavulin, but Mama had big dreams. It was going to take a while to get her project off the ground, but she’d made the folks in Sylvane a promise, and it was her intention to keep it.

She’d left _her_ mama’s house with one suitcase, a toaster, and a jar of strawberry preserves, but grocery shopping in Kepler happened between nine in the morning and four in the afternoon, when Mel at the general store pretty much rolled up the sidewalk out front and went to bed two hours later. She’d have to settle on beer for dinner.

Davie’s was the only place in town open after nine, and it showed. She wouldn’t have called the place packed -- it was still _Kepler_ , still her sleepy hometown with not much to show for it. That she’d had to leave it to _get_ the Lagavulin was still a tasty tidbit of news, but Mama didn’t really listen to any of that. She knew folks would get bored with it soon enough and move on with their lives.

When she got out of the truck, she took care not to knock her door against the car next to her, because she knew there’d be hell to pay if it left a single scratch. Ned Chicane _did_ have a nice ride, even if he was a lying, no-good scumbag with only the good sense to keep his head down when the sheriff drove past. Mama sighed and glanced into the passenger window. Leather looked soft, from here, and she guessed it would be a smooth ride if she ever --

“Checkin’ out my girl, eh?”

Mama sighed and looked up. “Hey, Ned.”

He was leaning against the wall of the bar, but he straightened and came toward her, putting an affectionate hand on the hood of the car. “Beauty, isn’t she?” He pointed to the back end. “Has more trunk space than any other American made vehicle.”

Mama raised a brow. “You ever think that tellin’ girls your car’s got a big-ass trunk is a little bit of a turn off, Ned?”

He laughed. “Well, it gets me further than opening with a line about the backseat so.”

“What’s so special about the backseat?”

Ned shrugged. “Well that’s sort of something you gotta experience first hand.”

Mama went around to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “You buy me a drink first, Ned Chicane. _Then_ we can talk about backseats.”

 

* * *

 

She spent two hours with him that night, beating him at darts and swindling him out of four beers and a plate of fries. It was close to one when he leaned over the table, tapped it with his finger and said, “I heard you bought yourself a house.”

“And where’d you hear that?”

“Well you gave Hank three bottles of whiskey, which was somehow more notable than the ten grand you managed to come up with.”

Mama raised a brow. “You wanna know where I got ten thousand dollars, don’t you?”

He pulled back. “Who, me? No, _no!_ No of course not. No desire to know where _you_ , of all people, got ten thousand bucks.” He cleared his throat. “I mostly wondered what you were gonna _do_ with a house in the middle of nowhere.”

She shrugged. “Live in it.”

“Aw, come on. I’m _dumb_ , but I’m not _that_ dumb.”

She sighed. “I’m opening a lodge. Trying to take advantage of all the ski traffic and the park. And I got the ten grand when my old man died. He left it in an account and said it was mine when I was ready to do something with it.” She drained the last of her beer. “That answer your question?”

Ned laughed. “Yeah, sure. One of ‘em.”

“You only _asked_ one question.”

“Well I wasn’t done.”

Mama leaned forward. “Alright. Second question, Chicane.”

He grinned. “You wanna check out my backseat?”

She tossed a fry in his face. “Absolutely not.”

“Aw, come on--”

“But you can follow me home,” she said.

“...To your creepy house in the woods?”

“Yes, Ned.” She stood and drained the last of his beer, too. “To my creepy house in the woods.”

 

* * *

 

He was gone when she woke up, but that was pretty much expected. She’d have just asked him to leave anyway, she realized, eating jam from a jar with a spoon. There was a lot of work to do.

Around noon she decided to head out to get some groceries, but as she was unlocking her truck, Ned pulled into a spot in front of the cabin, and got out holding a gallon of milk.

“Your kitchen looked pretty sparse. Thought you could use a hand.”

“Ned, I didn’t ask you to do that,” she said, as he stepped closer.

“Nah, I know.” He reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not even expecting to get lucky again because of it.”

Mama took the gallon of milk from his hand. “Well, Edmund. You just might.”

And maybe she let him fuck her because he was kind, or because she was lonely, or because she’d always thought he was kind of cute, even in high school -- but whatever the reason he showed up outside her cabin a few nights a week, and they drank beer and went hunting and had sex. He helped her get a good deal on extensions for the cabin, and had a friend of his mount some of the deer they’d shot. He took her to the drive-in, and she let him feel her up in the backseat of his car, just to say he had.

And then one day he was gone.

And no one knew where he was. And every time Mama asked, folks looked at her the way you look at a kid who doesn’t know their puppy didn’t go live on a farm.

She let herself cry. Partially over Ned, partially over her own bad luck. But not for too long. She had work to do, and a lodge to open. She was a god damn _catch_ , and Ned Chicane would be back someday.

He’d see what he missed.

 

* * *

 

“Well, Mama, I can get that out there for you, but not ‘til the morning.”

“That’s fine, Mel, it’s not an emergency. You just have Harrison take his sweet time, that road gets a little icy.”

Mel nodded. “Sure thing. You stay warm up there.”

“Will do.” She pulled on her gloves and headed out of the store toward her truck.

“Look at that. You upgraded.”

Mama looked up.

Ned Chicane was leaning against the side of his car, taking her in.

It was understandable. She _did_ look pretty damn good, even in a parka.

“Ned.”

“How’s the creepy house?”

“It’s a lodge now, Ned. You’ve been gone for two years.”

“You got it up and running then, did ya?”

She sighed. “Fuck off, Chicane.”

“Aw, come on, you’re not mad, are you?”

Mama opened the driver’s side door, then slammed it shut, going around to the other side and getting close to him. He flattened himself as best he could against the side of the Lincoln. “ _Hey_ \--”

“You think you can show up here after you...you _left_ , like you’re some god damn hot shot? I know what happened to you, _Edmund._ You went off out into the big scary world and you got your ass handed to you, didn’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say _handed_ to me--”

“Fuck you.”

“Now, come on,” he said. “I wanted to make peace--”

“It’s too late, Ned. You didn’t even bother to write me a letter.”

“You live in the middle of nowhere!”

“Even the middle of nowhere’s got a damn _post office box!_ ”

He scowled. “You know, I thought you and me could make peace, maybe even be friends, but I can see you’re pretty busy being a huge fuckin’ -- _ow!_ ”

Mama pulled her key back from his side as Ned doubled over. She stepped back. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

He wheezed. “I’m _sorry_ , alright? I’m sorry.” He grabbed at the end of her coat.

“Stop it. You’re making a scene.”

“Then ask me back to your place. Not for anything like _that_ , just...to let me explain.”

“I’m not inviting back a liar.”

“The I won’t be,” he said. “I’ll tell the truth. I swear.”

Mama sighed and pushed his hand away. It was a bad idea. It was a _terrible_ idea.

But...she kind of missed him, in a weird way.

And she’d peaked on ideas when she’d opened the lodge, so why the hell not?

“Fine. You can come to the lodge.”

“Lodge, huh? Not a creepy cabin anymore.”

“No, Ned.” She looked at him as she opened the door to her truck. “It’s all grown up now.”

 

* * *

 

“You know I...wanted to call you. I did.”

“I said no lies, Ned.”

He sighed, taking the cup of coffee from her and wrapping his hands around it. “It’s not a lie. I swear. I thought about you a lot, but I didn’t know how to get in touch with you, there’s no phone here, and I just--” He stopped and looked at her across the table. “You don’t care, do you?”

“Not really.”

Ned laughed. “Alright. I’ll...I’ll stop with the excuses. I did miss you, though.” He took a sip of his coffee. “You, uh, miss me?”

Mama scowled. “No, Ned Chicane. I did not.” She hid her flushed face behind her coffee mug. He reached out and pushed it down.

“Hey,” he said, gentle now. “Come on. You said no lies.”

“It’s my house. I’ll lie if I want.”

“But you shouldn’t. You...you should tell me, because I’d give anything to hear it.”

She sighed. “To hear what?”

“That you missed me.”

Mama set down her mug, stood, and went to the other side of the table, perching on the edge next to him. She reached out and cupped his cheek.

“Fine,” she said. “I missed you.”

“Not a lie?”

“No, Ned.” She leaned in close. “Not a lie.”

 

* * *

 

This time, when he left, he had the decency to say goodbye.

“Why are you even going?” she asked. “You could stay here, help me run the lodge.” She’d thought about telling him the truth a hundred times. If he believed her, then he was worth all the trouble. If he didn’t, then she’d finally know.

“Hey, you’ve got this. I know you do. How ‘bout when I come back, huh?”

“You and I both know you’ve got _no_ clue when that’ll be.”

“Eh, with my luck, it’ll be pretty soon.”

Mama held his face in her hands, pushed herself up and kissed him. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too.” He brushed his lips across her forehead, got into the Lincoln --

And then he was gone.

 

* * *

 

He was gone longer, this time, but by the time he came back, Mama was busier than ever. Amnesty Lodge wasn’t just a refuge for the rejected of Sylvane. Come winter, it was the busiest place in town. The Chamber of Commerce gave her an _award._ They tried to put her on some kind of business board, even tried to get her to run for city council.

By the time Ned Chicane showed back up in Kepler -- “For good _now_ ,” folks whispered to her in the general store or at the post office -- Mama was a well known figure in the community, respected and admired.

And Ned was just a guy she used to be kind of crazy about.

That was all.

He showed up at the lodge one afternoon, a gallon of milk in his hands. Mama stood on the front porch of the lodge, giving a family directions to a place they could eat in town. She made Ned stand there for ten minutes in the snow, cold milk in one hand, keys in the other. When she finally turned to him, he looked a little miserable.

“What do you want, Ned?”

“Came to see you.”

“That’s nice.” She turned and went back inside.

“Hey!” He ran in after her. “What’s the matter with you?”

“I’m busy,” she said, and took the milk from him. “I’ve got forty-six guests here, a full staff to take care of and--” She stopped. “What are you _starin’_ at?”

Ned looked around the lodge, blinking. “Wow. This _place_ , it’s...it’s so different.”

“I told you. Not just a creepy cabin in the woods anymore.” She went back into the kitchen and Ned followed her. “Barclay, we got a milk donation.”

“What the hell?” Barclay glanced up. “Well alright, just...put it in the fridge I guess.” He went back to dicing onions as Mama headed back out.

Ned was still right behind her. “Hey,” he said, reaching for her shoulder. “Come on, I just wanna talk--”

She rounded on him. “I am _busy_ ,” she snapped. “I don’t have time for your bullshit, Chicane. Do you understand that?”

“I came here to tell you something important.”

“Like _what?_ ”

“I missed you. I missed you like crazy, and I came here to tell you that I _love you_ , and you--”

“Don’t.” She pointed and shook her head. “Don’t, Ned. You got no right to say that to me. You’ve left _twice_ now. I gave you a chance. You remember, don’t you? I asked you to stay with me, to be a _part_ of this. And you chose to leave.”

“I had to give the world another chance--”

“ _Screw_ the world,” Mama snapped. “The world is bullshit, just like you. Now get the hell out of my lodge.”

Ned stared at her for a moment before finally raising his hands in defeat. “Alright,” he said. “Fine. I’ll go, and I’ll leave you alone. I just…” He sighed. “I’m thinking of starting my own business, and I thought you might--”

“No.”

“Okay.” He nodded and backed up. “I won’t bother you anymore.” At the front door, though, he stopped, and looked back at her. “You know, this doesn’t...change the way I feel. I do love you.”

“Goodbye, Ned.”

He sighed. “...Bye, Mama.”

 

* * *

 

There was a singular moment of weakness. It came after she found out what sort of business he was opening, and the fury that swept over her was _impossible._ She got in her truck and drove down to his God-forsaken shop and banged on the back door until he stumbled out into the night.

“What the _fuck_ , Ned?”

“Mama?”

“What the _fuck_ are you doing?”

“I was _sleeping_ , actually.”

She scowled and kicked the side of the building. “What the hell is this place?”

“Oh!” His expression brightened. “Just monopolizing on our history! You know we’ve got more Bigfoot sightings per capita than any other town in West Virginia--”

“This town is trying to get back on its feet, Ned. It’s trying to be taken seriously, and you open a fucking _curio shop_?”

“It’s a _museum_ \--”

“Like hell it is.” She shouldered past him and went inside. The shop was still being filled, but she knew right away that it was garbage. All of it. The Bigfoot posters made her sick, made her think of Barclay, at the lodge right now, cleaning up the kitchen after dinner.

“Hey, come on.” Ned put a hand on her shoulder, but she pulled away. “I’m just trying to make a living here. Same as you.”

“No.” She turned to him. “Don’t you _dare_ compare this...this _garbage_ to what I do. You know they’re going to try and shut you down.”

“I do.” He went to the counter and pulled out some brochures. “Look, you and I can work together on this. You send people here, and I’ll make sure folks wandering in find your lodge--”

“Stop it, Ned. Just...just _stop._ ” She took the brochures and tossed them to the side.

She couldn’t tell him the _truth._ Sure, she wanted Kepler to do well, to be a place where folks liked to stay and come back to. After all, she had a lodge to run, and she had promised Sylvane that she’d take care of people like Barclay. Looking around at Ned’s new venture though -- it rattled her. It rattled her because he thought it was all bullshit. For him, it was just another way to make a buck.

And it made her realize -- he’d never have believed her, those years before when she wanted him to stay. To help her run the place. To tell him the real reason for the lodge.

He’d have left her in a heartbeat.

And _that’s_ what hurt the most.

“...Hey.” He reached out and cupped her cheek, and Mama didn’t turn away. “What’s this really about?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

Ned stepped closer. “Is this...about _us_?”

She looked at him. His expression was open and hopeful, and right there and then, for that moment, the feelings between them were mutual.

Right there, for just that second -- she loved him, too.

 

* * *

 

The years that came after were less than easy. Business in Kepler waxed and waned, but the Amnesty Lodge stayed open. Some said it was Kepler’s good luck charm, and inevitably came to compare it to the waste of space that most folks considered the Cryptonomica.

Ned braved their scathing comments and low opinion of him as always had, but the comparisons between their respective lives and business ventures drove a wedge between them.

The last time she spoke more than a few words to him, he didn’t even respond.

They were far away, now, from the people they used to be. Sometimes she still saw him at Davies, nursing a beer and a plate of fries. She resisted the urge to go to him. Folks told her in conspiratorial whispers that Ned Chicane still had it bad for her, but she never said much about it.

Hating him, and whatever he’d decided he stood for, was just easier than remembering that once he’d bought her a trunk full of groceries, and told her he loved her, and fished with her for an entire weekend. It was easier than remembering that he’d been a good kisser, that he’d driven her just a little crazy in bed, and that he made the best pancakes in West Virginia.

But she wasn’t born a girl pining for something that she couldn’t have. She was the girl who’d bought a cabin, turned it into a home and a shelter, and made something of herself.

Ned fuckin’ Chicane be damned.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @ weatheredlaw


End file.
